Short story: Tales of the Daeralman
__TOC__ Description Tales of the Daeralman is a short story centered on Ilstram, the founder and first emperor of Ilstram's Empire, who dedicated most of his life to research the tales and stories about a kind of being beyond his comprehension: The Daeralman. Most of the action takes place at the Library of Hítare, the capital city of a now exting human empire, that was rebuilt as a center of galactic knowledge following the surrender of its previous rulers. It also tells one of the first contacts between a human and an Ur'daeralman called Ur'madanel Story Thousands of years had passed since the fall of Hitare. Its capital city was now nothing but a massive library conceived to host the knowledge of all sentient species inhabiting Universe. The former human empire had succumbed to an incredible joint force that wanted nothing but inconditional surrender. That story was not unknown to Ilstram; a human that, some time later, would create his own empire. But despite all that, that young man, just beyond his thirty anniversary, was still amazed at the magnificence of the halls of the massive library. On the outside, ruins from the old city - that was vanishing at the same rate the library was expanding - could still be seen. He was alone inside that area of the vast complex, far away from scientific and historical writings. This was a place dedicated to tales that few minds would believe, forbidden stories and legends that were transmitted from one generation to another by the most diverse species of the universe. Tales of all kinds: human, olverians, grodians, lomarians... All of them telling stories more or less believable sharing a common aspect: All of them transmitted the fear of a whole species about the unknown. Ilstram had a particular interest in a particular kind of tale: during his youthness, he had heard of the Daeralman. The stories said that these beings were made of pure energy, and they were capable of things that were hard to explain and understand for their human minds. And, although most of the people neglected them as fairytales and obscure legends, he was incredibly attracted by them. Theirs was a legend, unlike all others, common to many species in the universe, even humans. Looking at the massive shelves, he was determined to find some book or writing that would allow him to know a bit more about those supposedly fantastic beings. But luck was not on his side. The few texts he encountered were too damaged, or the information gathered was already known to him. Suddenly, a voice caught him by surprise: "I thought noone would be here." the voice said. It was a human, slightly taller than Ilstram. Pale skin, blue eyes, blonde hair and a delicate aspect. He transmitted a feeling of security and confidence on himself that was too obvious to ignore. Ilstram looked at him with uncertainty: "Who are you?" he asked. "Pardon my manners." replied his unexpected visitor "I'm Arthur. And you are...?" "Ilstram." "It's the first time I've come across someone else on this part of the library." Arthur said "That's the reason of my surprise." "Do you usually come here?" questioned the future emperor. "Yes. I come to read the stories and tales that the inhabitants of this universe have been depositing here during all these years. Some of them are very interesting to me, even if they lack any real scientific value. What about you?" "I came trying to find more information about a tale..." "Which one?" Arthur asked, although he already knew the answer. "Ever heard of the Daeralman?" Ilstram said. "The guardians? Yes, I know those stories..." he remained silent for a few seconds, before resuming "But you won't find them here. Those are forbidden tales, banished from many civilizations. Only a few fragments of them have reached this library." The two men walked to a nearby table, sat down, and Ilstram let go a stream of questions: "You said they are the guardians? Guardians of what? What's their mission on this universe?" "Relax, my friend." replied Arthur, in a very calm manner "I'll tell you as much as I can. The Daeralman were the guardians of the universe. Their mission consisted on bringing life to the planets they encountered on their travels, and to preserve the balance of cosmos itself." "Bring life to planets? Wait, you mean they were our... makers?" "In a way... you could say so, indeed. Although they didn't interefere with the development of life in those planets. I mean, our ancestors are the product of the Earth, not a creation of some incredible beings." "Barely anyone believes they may exist." replied Ilstram. "But noone has been capable of explaining all those forgotten tales without them existing, either." "But you do believe so... Otherwise, why bother coming here?" The young man gathered his thoughts for a second: "You're right. In fact, I don't really know if I should believe it or not. But I think that, if they really exist... why don't they show themselves? If they really have all those skills and abilities, noone could fight them." "I guess they don't show themselves to avoid interefering with us." said Arthur. "I mean, if they really exist. Having something like that around, with those powers... Noone would be able to stop giving them all their attention. Some would worship them... while others would fear them." "Perhaps. It is said they could do amazing things. Like, mind reading, manipulate everything around them... They were made of only energy... A living being made of energy? How is that explained in the first place?" "I guess that's why pretty much noone believes it to be true. All life we've known is organic..." "Yet" Ilstram added "I can't help but think that, somehow, they must exist. How else could there be so many legends and tales from so many species about them?" "You know that the amount of tales that exist is very slim compared to the total population of all those species. Look at Earth tales, for example. Compared to the Universe's population, it was a very small population, but even today we've conserved hundreds and hundreds of those old stories." Both men remained silent. Ilstram was immersed on his own thoughts, something telling him that Daeralman should exist, and that there was a good reason why the weren't showing themselves. On the other hand, Arthur was focused on analyzing the man in front of him. He couldn't say much, but despite all his efforts, he could not escape from his own memories, a memory of endless millenia. Several thousand years before, he walked among the ancestors of that man that now was sitting there. He was there back then, when that little, scared species was still on its home planet. And he remembered, once again, how he was touched by something unique for his incredible kin: the feeling of love. A feeling that made him envy those species that his people had seen arise during the years: "Did you know it's always been said that two types of Daeralman existed?" Arthur said, breaking the now uncomfortable silence. "No... never heard that" Ilstram replied. "In one side, there were the Ur'daeralman. They were in charge of distributing something they called the seed of life. They would deposit it on those planets they considered fit to create life, and then departed on to new worlds. In the other side, there were the Tor'daeralman. They were in charge of distributing the seed of chaos in those planets were life had started to appear." "And then what?" "Huh?" Arthur replied. "I mean, were they evil? Did they attack the species created by the Ur'daeralman?" "No. It's said that all Daeralman were neutral, they neither judged nor took parte on whatever was happening. They were focused on watching over the universe and fulfilling that mission they were assigned long ago." "I think I understand the seed of life pretty well, but, that seed of chaos... What does it do?" "What its name implies. It brings chaos between species. It creates the need for violence and confrontations. The law of the strongest of the pack. But, that seed was not necessarily to always succeed. Perhaps the new life forms would not fight each others, or perhaps they would go so far that they'd completely exterminate each other..." "If all that is true, then it means we're the puppets of some kind of cosmic puppeteers..." Ilstram said. "In any case, I wouldn't worry too much about that. In the end, it's all just tales, right?" replied Arthur, showing an ample, comfortable smile. As the discussion ended, both men readied for the final goodbye: "I hope everything goes well for you" Ilstram said. "There's a great future ahead of you. Your name shall be remembered for generations, and your legacy will span millenia. We'll meet again, friend, soon enough, although, for you, a whole lifetime will pass." "What are you talking about?" "Some day you'll understand..." Arthur said enigmatically, while leaving the room. "Wait, don't leave!" Ilstram shouted, whilst trying to catch up with the mysterious man "How can you possibly know there's a great future ahead of me?" But that question was replied by the deafening silence of the massive construction... No trace of that unexpected visitor to be found anywhere. And, for the rest of his life, Ilstram couldn't stop thinking about that weird meeting. Was Arthur truly human? How could that man know there was a great future ahead of him? Those questions tormented his mind until the very end of his days. There were too many things Arthur could not reveal. But for him, finding Ilstram was of paramount importance. He needed to make sure that this was a real possibility. He neeeded to see him face to face to have the certainty that, in only a few years, that man, Ilstram, would create his own empire. He needed to know he wasn't mistaken when he judged that possible future as the most likely. In that empire, if his thoughts were correct, thousands of years later, the person he was looking for would be born... He could not afford to commit the same mistake for the second time. His first mistake happened long ago. That was the first time he called himself Arthur. In that era, now very distant in the past, he departed to a planet called Earth, believing he'd find there the person that was plaguing his visions of the possible futures that were to happen. The being that would help them restore the balance of the universe when the Great Threat finally arrived; the one that would keep the balance on its place. However, he found something very different. He experienced the feeling of love, thanks to a human female, named Ishubi, which whom he lived until the very last day of her life. In total, some eighty years had passed, barely anything for his own kin. After the death of his beloved one, he returned back to his people... the Ur'daeralman. In the midst of a depression, he realized he had made a mistake on his judgment when trying to understand that possible future. He wasn't meant to visit the Earth in hopes of finding their savior, but to understand those species he had so little knowledge of. That way, he'd be able of creating a bond with them, through that wonderful feeling they called love, and the cruelty of what was called sorrow. But the meeting in the library of Hitare wasn't the last ocasion in which he took on that aspect. Many years after that talk, as he had predicted, Arthur came back. This time in a planet named Antaria, the capital of the recently founded Empire of Ilstram. There, at the Imperial Palace that had been built only a few years before, was the now dying emperor. The man that, almost a century ago, in Hitare, had shown himself as a curious young man, eager to discover the world that surrounded him: "I remember you..." said the elder. "It's you... Arthur." "I see you do remember me." he replied. "You haven't aged even a single day. How's that possible?" said Ilstram. "I believe you already know the answer. I told you a great future was awaiting you. And that, some day, we'd meet again. Now, you've created your own empire." "What... are you?" Arthur didn't reply to that question. He had previously ensured that he would be alone in the building with his old friend. Rather than using words, he let the elder see his true form. And in front of the surprised human, a humanoid siluette of golden tones was revealed, made of pure energy. "What the..." "My true name is Ur'madanel." the mysterious figure replied. "I'm an Ur'daeralman." "For years I've been considered insane because I thought you were real..." "Now you know it's true" the strange creature said. "So you're my puppeteer..." said Ilstram, trying to draw a smile on his face. "No, friend. I'm your guardian. Like the rest of my people." "There are more like you?" "Yes. We are just another species on this universe." "Then, why...?" "Why was I looking for you?" asked Ur'madanel. "I needed to know I was on the right path. We need to be ready to fight the Great Evil." "The Great Evil?" said Ilstram visibly tired. "A threat that could end all life on universe. But there's hope, a human being, in several thousands of years from now, will have the key to help us." "I think... I think I understand" the emperor said, while making an effort to smile. His life was slowly fading away "I hope you can protect us..." Those were the last words of Ilstram's first emperor. Ur'madanel ceremoniously closed his eyes, and added: "You can be sure I will, friend." That was the second human being he saw dying. He left the palace after talking to the doctors, informing them about the natural death of their emperor. In his mind, the futures he had been analyzing during so many years were starting to take shape. An incomprensible threat was coming for mankind, and, as a consequence, for everything else in the universe. A threat their people would have to fight with all their strength. But, he also understood that the task to stop that future danger wasn't on his shoulders. He had to make his brethren understand that neutrality was no longer the way to go. He had to make that more Ur'daeralman decided to firmly act in favor of life and bring their help before too late. That was, as long as he could accept that even if victory was to arrive, even more worrying futures could arrive afterwards...